LUXEMBURG.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1919, Page 5

LUXEMBURG.

THE GRAND DUCHESS,

READY TO RENOUNCE THE THRONE

Received Jan. 15, 8.55 p.m.

London, Jan. 12.

Reu tar's correspondent at Luxemburg states tint the Government ha 3 issued a proclamation denouncing the revolutionary movement fcr a republic, declaring the Government has decided to 6eek -rri economic alliance with the Entente, especially France and Belgium, and that the Grand Duchess has announced that if necessary to secure an alliance she will willingly renounce the throne, but the Government is convinced that the preservation of the dynasty at the present time is necessary for the guarantee of national autonomy. The final decision will be reserved, however, for the will 01" the people legally expressed.— Reuter

Possibly there is no wore romantic figure among the Royal Families of Europe than the young Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide, who succeeded her father in 1912 Luxemburg was neutral territory, but far commercial purposes, it wa-s included in the German Zollverein. At the outbreak of the war it was stated Marie was a firm friend of the Fatherland and allowed the Germans to travfrse her kingdom when on their way to invade France. Later it was rtated that she was made a prisoner of war by the Kaiser, and during an interview -with him declined to be seated, thus forcing Wilhelm to stenU during the colloquy, since even a Hohenrollem may not be seated in the palace of an independent Sovereign until he is invited. The truth of this, however, has been denied. The Kaiser was once imbued with the idea of the Duchess marrying one of his sons. The morganatic son of her uncle, the Couni. ->f Marisnburg, and calls her an interloper, claiming liimseli to be the rightful Sovereign of Luxemburg, and both he and his sister, the Countess Torbv, who became the morganatic wife of the Grand Michael of Russia, have spent large sums of money in litigation, having for its object the ousting of Marie Adelaide from a throne which ;s now sc precariously, he!;!.